Guitar with Toby R.

I am an honest and focused instructor who strives to create successful learning opportunities for my students at every turn. No matter the genre or context, I aim to foster a deeper love of music and performance. After one year as a computer science major at UT, I had a sudden realization that maybe computer programming wasn't for me, so I decided to find a new field to pursue. Without any formal musical background, I decided to try my hand(s) at music at Laredo Community College where I earned my Associate's Degree in guitar performance. Since then, I successfully transferred to The University of Texas at Austin where I was one of only a handful of music education students to take lessons with the world-renowned and critically acclaimed recording guitarist and teacher, Adam Holzman. Now the holder of a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Studies with an emphasis on classical guitar, I view at all my chances to teach as opportunities to share the joy of music. I think it's incredibly important for my students and myself to feel comfortable, yet concentrated in order be truly open and curious. I provide my students with great tips from which they can monitor their own progress and spend time reflecting on how much they're learning. I also can help with music theory and history to create deeper musical learning about our art's structure and context. I've gained incredible experience and insight as a theory instructor, ensemble conductor, and private teacher for guitar students during my time at UT Austin, and I'm excited to share my evident passion with my students so that they may discover an untapped love for art themselves. Let's make music together! *** Lesson Details *** The answer to the classic question "How do you build a house?" best sums up the first half of my lessons: "Start with a strong foundation." First, we'll focus on technique, set-up, and technical exercises. Whether we're doing warm-ups through left or right hand finger patterns, scales, chord shapes, or strumming rhythms, careful attention to good technique free of tension, discomfort, and pain is crucial. The second half of my lessons focus on repertoire. This ultimately is my favorite part of the lesson as my students get to make the most music! Whether a small section of a piece, or the performance of an entire study, my goal here is to further ingrain musical confidence. This is also where I evaluate progress and consider when and where I feel my students are best ready to advance to. I don't just love classical music, so I think it's very important to consider what my student wants to learn and I take their feedback into account when choosing the tunes we play. I provide great tips and ask thoughtful questions that help my students evaluate their own learning and progress. After three months, my students will have learned at least 2 (often more) pieces, etudes, or songs, and hopefully find a love for music making and the whisperings of their own artistic voice. *** Studio Equipment *** Rehearsal rooms available which includes piano, mirrors, chairs and music stands. *** Specialties *** Classical Guitar